Do chickens have feelings?

Yes, according to British veterinary researcher Dr. Joanne Edgar, from the School of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Bristol, chickens display feelings of empathy. In 2011 she conducted a detailed study to demonstrate that when chicks are under stress, the mothers act as if they too are experiencing the same stress. When mother hens experienced a loss such as the death of a chick, they mourned and showed signs of depression. This occurred when the hens were removed from the flock and placed in solitary quarters as well. Chickens are also known to display mourning behavior when another chicken in the flock dies, and they will show signs of depression if they are removed from the flock and placed in solitary quarters.

Chickens feel many emotions such as anxiety, friendship, fear, boredom, frustration and joy.